Advance learning in libraries: an American approach.

Having just read the very exciting article entitled: 4 strategies in advance learning in libraries http://www.cilip.org.uk/cilip/blog/4-strategies-advance-learning-libraries. This paper was written in America and it is fascinating to read, several library leaders came together over 2 years to identify impact and outcomes of funding for libraries. Though this paper looks at federal funding, and examples are American. This is something useful to take from our state side information professionals. Having attended many conferences over the last few years, it has always occurred to me that America is somewhat ahead of the game. Having introduced a national Information Literacy month... yet the UK lags behind.

So to return to the summary article on these meetings. Though the meetings covered many topics, and looked at a variety of information professionals settings, 4 main themes were established. A full report is accessible https://www.imls.gov/sites/default/files/publications/documents/imlsfocuslearninginlibrariesfinalreport.pdf which on my reading list.

In brief, for now, here are the 4 topics

1. Connect LIS education and professional development to 21st century librarianship- starting and progressing from school librarians, this section looks at creating a new space and new services fit for the 21st century. Librarians should be embedded within the community that they work with. 
2. Pursue research that connects with library practice- connecting research that informs and is informed by practice. Working with others, and ensuring dissemination needs to be optimal for impact and influence. 
3. Designing participatory learning programs that demonstrate innovation and scalability- Design and develop library programmes that aid patrons over their lifespan.
4. Develop cross-disciplinary collaborations that advance library services nationwide- Engage with other non library organisations on a national level, to broaden the service of the library to new audiences. 

Media and information literacy

Last night, I joined in with my first blog chat, having taken part in Twitter chats before I think I preferred the blog version. The topic was one that I wasn't 100% familiar with, however I found the method of being able to write more and follow the conversation more easily, without the use of hashtags a much easier way of working.

The blog chat was focusing on media and information literacy, which is a revised version of current thinking, a more joined up within, one which will incorporate, in my case more departments were I work. To explain:

"Media and Information Literacy consists of the knowledge, the attitudes, and the sum of the skills needed to know when and what information is needed; where and how to obtain that information; how to evaluate it critically and organise it once it is found; and how to use it in an ethical way. The concept extends beyond communication and information technologies to encompass learning, critical thinking, and interpretative skills across and beyond professional and educational boundaries. Media and Information Literacy includes all types of information resources: oral, print, and digital."


 This enhanced and more holistic concept in information literacy can only be seen as a benefit in terms of life long learn, increasing  people's chances of getting employment and improving education. However for this to happen a more collaborative approach is needed, bring different parts of society together to create this program, or for myself, different departments. Originally the information literacy program started as a joint venture between academics, blended learning and the library, however since then it has dropped to the library and blended learning team doing our own thing. Which is a shame, maybe this needs to be looked at again, to create a more media and information literacy approach. 

 At national level, the government need to provide provisions for people to get involved, school curriculum's needs to be changed and have MIL imbedded. As well as a complete culture change, which doesn't come easy. 

Article update

Having spent time researching my topic for my article of information literacy, and read far and wide on the topic, I have started with a bang.

At the moment my article is still in the draft stage, but I have early results from my third years. All I need to do now is write the questionnaire for my first and second years. Then I should be pretty much there.

I have to say I am feeling pretty happy about my article, I think it is too long, but I could write a book on information literacy. I've researched, created the FE and HE programme for the college and shared it as best practice to another institution.

Write an Article

After a 2 hour train journey, I decided that yes I should write an article and try to get it published. After a week procrastinating about it, I decide I really should start to put fingers to keys and start working.

My plan is to write an article about the success of the information literacy program that I run here.

With a second article, maybe on a smaller scale about social media in academic libraries .

Then maybe the third on our digital archive that we are working on.

But it's taken me a week to start typing, and look what has happened I've returned to my blog after a 2 and a half month absence.

What should an information literacy package contain

Information literacy being the seeking, retrieval and manipulation of information, in a ethically Infocorrect fashion. Regardless of the medium and format which it is presented. There are several models to explain what an information literacy package should contain- the most widely agreed upon

Content
1. Realising there is a need for information and how much information is needed
2. Research skills, both in traditional formats and online.
3. Critical thinking, the ability to evaluate and assess the information, to ensure accuracy, decency, legitimacy and validity.
4. Communication, of how the information will be presented from the reader to the audience and how the information will be collected.
5. Library skills, which is to encompass everything from finding a book using OPAC, to creating an Athens account, and doing a Boolean search within JSTOR.
6. Media literacy, to encompass computer literacy and visual literacy
7. The organisation and adapting of information. 

it's also important to work with the academics, to ensure timely delivery of the content, to soon into a new course and the information will be irrelevant, to late and it's equally pointless. 

Presentation
Regardless of the format, whether it be standing in front ova PowerPoint presentation, so it resembles a lecture,or something more flash like prezi, it doesn't matter along as the message is getting across to them. engaging  in to technology may  interest students more, or have the opposite effect of distracting from the message. However, in an attempt to be environmentally friendly I wouldn't create massive amounts of printed handouts , unless it was due to DDA. If it is, ensure enlarged font sizes, as well as printing on different coloured paper. 


Involment
To ensure learning has taken place, an activity is a excellent  ethos of testing this.vagain this can be as technologically  focused as you like from a interactive game online, to a series of activities. Or a question and answer session, participation is important, without it the above was pointless. Demonstrating certain points, for instance where the ebooks are but then letting them find something they are interested in, provides a stronger learning outcome. 

hello blog

It's been such a mental time at work at the moment, with new students arriving every day, I haven't had a spare moment to write anything. I still have 23 inductions left to do, but I mustn't moan as I have done 39! which is pretty good for one person.

On Wednesday I celebrate my last one, by starting my information literacy sessions! bit of an odd celebration- but it's a start.

Reviewing the week

As this is the first week of the FE term, I want to take stock and reflect at the end of the week. To kick of the week, the LRC has been tidied at least twice, to provide the best possible impression. Staff returning from leave have been updated on the changes over the summer. Mainly the move of my office, create a more cohensive team and less of a disjointed management/ team structure. I have also created a training pack for the staff, with how to guides for cataloguing books, DVD and journals.

Spent the afternoon on Tuesday doing housework on my desktop, then starting working on my Chartership. Having to look again my PDP, after reading “Building your portfolio” section. 

Read http://thewikiman.org/blog/?p=1717- three simple marketing rules all libraries should live by... and it really got my thinking, with the new cohort of stuents arriving today and my frist induction tomorrow. This is the ideal opportunity to test this out. Instead of listing the resources, I'll tell the students what we do- we provide access to resources, free of charge, we help students use the resources and the benefits are, the more you (the students) use the rsources, the more your knowledge will grow, which should result in better grades for you. I've added in these extra notes in to my induction for tomorrow. I will reflect on my findings after tomorrow and my first induction is done.